Forgetting the cabbage salesman's son
by discobiscuit92
Summary: The gaang stops in at a smalltown pub for some sake and music. Katara is tired of Zuko playing with her heart. What happens when Zuko catches her on the way out of the pub with a strange man? Set before the comet.


Zuko threw a wicked grin at her over his shoulder as he walked away with a striking young woman clinging to his arm. Katara melted a little inside. Never mind that she was terribly close to tears, when Zuko was feeling confident, nothing could charm a woman like his smile. Slightly smug and mocking, but still genuine and self assured. The only thing that ruined the effect was that she was only receiving such a smile for helping him pick up the aforementioned woman -though even Katara had to admit the girl was attractive- in the village they were passing through.

The gaang had decided to go into town for the night and quickly found a small bar where the older group members could get some sake and the younger members could enjoy the lively music. As was custom, Zuko picked his target for the night and then enlisted Katara's help in winning her attention. It was ironic really, and quite embarrassing for Katara but Zuko threatened to tell Sokka about the time he had woken to her moaning quite erotically in her sleep if she didn't help. Zuko could be quite menacing.

So, as usual, they began their act after sitting next to the 'target' (tonight's selection had shiny black hair and was quite well endowed) at the bar. The script didn't usually vary, but sometimes Katara got creative, and she was feeling a bit masochistic tonight.

Here we go, she thought with a twist in her gut.

She adopted a very staged and dramatic voice. "I'm sick and tired of you trying to get in my pants all the time, you horny prick."

Zuko looked a bit surprised. Katara wasn't usually this blunt. He fumbled for a moment, "But Katara, you know I'm always ready" and shot her a 'what exactly are you doing?' look.

"I don't care how good you are at pleasing me, I just need a break from having incredible sex every chance we get." Katara noticed the young woman was suddenly very interested in their conversation. Katara had guessed well on what would interest her. Maybe, just maybe if she did a good job for him...

"Come on babe, you know you like it"

"No, don't try and persuade me. Never mind that you're the biggest man I've ever seen and that I can barely walk today, but I can't think about anything except you. I cant do this anymore, I need to clear my head."

Zuko looked likehe would laugh for a moment, but recovered and pretended to look very sad as Katara vacated her barstool in a huff. As she was walking away, she heard Zuko's target tell him not to worry about the peasant girl with no figure, and that she would take care of his 'ever readiness'.

Katara saw red. Contemplating a homicidal rampage, she tried to control herself and slowly turned back towards Zuko just in time to receive her grin. She sighed, some of her anger dissolving, knowing that grin was what made it all bearable- it was only for her-, and counted to ten before heading for the exit. She sat on the steps, hiding herself in the shadow cast by the open door. Here, she allowed herself to cry.

The girls Zuko went for usually said something along those lines after their act, but seldom were they as hurtful as tonight's conquest. She sniffled loudly and wondered what Zuko thought was so great about all those mean and gullible women.

Oh yeah. They weren't peasant girls with no figure.

A fresh wave of tears washed over her. She hated to admit it, but she was jealous. Never in her life had she found mutual attraction with someone, and here Zuko did it every night.

Not only was she not attractive as those women were, but she was also obviously not attractive to Zuko. She was a tool, and he was completely oblivious to how she felt about him. Who in their right mind would embarrass themselves repeatedly for someone they didn't give a wit about? Well, he was either oblivious or he chose to ignore her..

But she was tired of being ignored. Katara marched back into the bar, grabbed a seat and ordered two shots of sake. She downed them quickly and turned to look around the room. She spotted a tall and handsome man leaning against a pillar by the floor where people were beginning to dance. She made her way towards him with a saucy strut.

Katara flirted with him. Very obviously. He immediately took interest in her and asked her to dance. Katara accepted, catching eyes with her brother across the room. He gave her a warning glance, but this only inflamed her desire to behave wantonly. Tonight, she wanted to feel every inch not the figureless peasant.

They danced, quite raunchily, for a few songs and then the young man suggested they go outside for a while. Just as they reached the door, Zuko came strolling back inside. He looked up, completely surprised.

"Where are you going Katara?" He asked as he eyed the young man leading her by the hand.

"We're going for a walk."

His expression hardened. "Is that so?"

Katara rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, it is so. Get out of the way."

"Yeah bud, we've got other ideas" the anonymous young man said as he winked at Zuko, hoping he would get the hint and let them on their way.

Zuko's expression became utterly terrifying. "I don't think so." He drew back his fist and punched the guy square in the jaw. He promptly fell backwards, out cold.

Katara was stunned. She whirled to face Zuko, fury in her eyes. He wasn't even going to let her enjoy herself! "What the hell was that for Zuko?" she asked him murderously.

Zuko shrugged. "Just feeling a bit jealous I guess" he told her cooly.

Now Katara was not only angry and frustrated, but also confused.

"Katara, don't tell me you think I actually do anything with these women. I just pretend to pick them up because its amusing to blackmail you."

Katara eyes turned to liquid hate. She drew back her hand and slapped him. Hard. She practically ran out the door. Zuko stood stunned for a moment, then ran after her.

The poor man still lay unconscious on the floor. As it were, no one really cared, for although he was handsome, he was simply a dimwitted cabbage salesman's son.

Zuko caught up with her easily. Katara continued running, so Zuko matched her pace until she was out of breath and had to stop.

"Katara, what's wrong?"

She whipped her face around to glare at him. "Whats wrong you ask? How about we start at the part where you've been humiliating me almost every night since you decided you'd get a good kick out of blackmailing me. Gee, I bet its so amusing. Or maybe we should just go with the broader topic of how you don't give a rat's ass about my feelings at all!" Katara was screaming by the time she had finished.

Zuko didn't have anything smart to say to that. He suddenly felt very guilty. His plan had backfired in the worst possible way. Katara hadn't figured out he was only teasing her when he pretended to pick up other girls. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought that he was far too suave for his own good.

Instead of getting closer to Katara he had embarrassed her publicly on multiple occasions and really upset her. Yeah, really suave.

Katara took his silence as an opportunity to continue. "Was it really necessary Zuko, treating me this way? I thought we were at least friends now." the worst of her rage was gone, and hurt filled its pace. He really didn't care about her.

Zuko sighed. There was no choice but to explain. So much for clever and intricate flirting games where he wouldn't actually have to come out and say what he was thinking. But Mai had always said he was a poor flirt..."Katara, you've got it all wrong."

She stared at him with a glare that could pin anyone to the spot. She usually reserved it for anyone who squandered their precious few copper pieces, but figured Zuko was equally deserving. He gulped and continued. "I've been incredibly childish. I just thought that if you were interested in me at all, you'd get that I was trying to get your attention." and as an afterthought added "besides, you were the one that made up our script."

"Only because I thought that if I did a good job helping you pick up those," she huffed, and attempted to make her voice calm "You know what? It doesn't even matter. I don't care what you tell Sokka. Tell him I grew a third leg and sold my soul for a cup of boiled peanuts and a romp in the woods if you want to."

Katara turned to leave, but Zuko grabbed her wrist and roughly pulled her up against him. Things were not turning out how he planned, but Zuko was nothing if not persistent. He looked down into her startled face, and put his other arm around her back when she tried to pull away. Katara was reminded of why she gave up stealing from pirates.

"Zuko, what are you, why are you, ugh, just let me go!" she was flustered to say the least and struggled to get away.

"No" His voice was serious.

"Zuko! Why.."

"I've been trying to get your attention for a while now, and I've finally got it, so don't interrupt." he told her. "You're pretty thick you know that Katara?" His voice was low and husky sounding.

Katara looked up into his golden eyes. His gaze was so intense she felt herself blushing from the heat of it, and she couldn't even collect her thoughts enough to care that he'd just insulted her.

Zuko bent his head down so that his eyes were level with hers, their lips mere centimeters apart.

"Its you" he whispered before closing the gap.

So, in the end, Zuko managed to get his point across without an awkward or long winded confession, and Katara completely forgot about the cabbage salesman's son, who had, coincidentally, also been forgotten by everyone else.


End file.
